Lasting-heel-band and mtehod of making the same.



. IVI. SHOCK. LASTING HEEL BAND AND METHOD OF MAKING THE 3AM APPLICATEON FILED JUNE 3, 2915;

1 h7 Ti Patented; Feb. 26, 1918 inure.

MATTHIAS BREQCK, 0F JBOSTONQIVIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATTERSON, NElV JlERSlEY A COB- IEOEATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LTING- HEEL-BAND AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedlteh. as, rare.

Application filed June 3, 1915. Serial Ito. 31,907.

bands for shoes. These bands are employed- I in lasting and other shoe making operations.

One extensive use of end embracing bands is to clamp the upper material closely against the side faces of the heel portion, and someim s of the toe portion, of a last for producing in the upper materials of the shoe the shape of the last and holding them in that shape while the edge portions of the upper materials are molded over the edge and upon the margin of the bottom of the shoe and fastened to the innersole. It is by thus molding the upper to the side faces of the last and then to the edgeiand margin of the shoe bottom and fastening the upper to the innersole while still held to the side faces of the last that the most perfect reproduction of the shapeof the last is obtained in the shoe.

For some uses there are desired bands having characteristics not possessed by bands heretofore provided. For example, a'band for satisfactory use on white uppers and the various colored uppers must be capable of performing its function without discoloring orin any way leaving a mark on the uppers; also, under some conditions the best upper shaping results are obtained if the toe band of a lasting machine is sufiiciently pliable so that it can be held by its operating mechanism substantially in ail-shape while open and can be forced by the insertion of the shoe into the tl-shape required to fit the toes of most shoes. Furthermore, it is desirable when operating upon white and delicate colored goods to use the same band exclusively for the same color of goods and this necessitates an equipment of several bands for each machine and renders it important to use an inexpenswe hand.

These practical conditions in the trade led me to experiment with other materials than those commonly used and these experiments have resulted in the discovery that by a treatment which I have devised an end embracing band having the highly desirable characteristics above mentioned, including inexpensivenes together with durability, could be produced from fibrous materials, in cluding particularly felt. The present invention consists in a novel method of treat ing material such as felt and in an article such as an end embracing band so produced. I will now proceed, withthe aid of the accompanying drawings," to explain fully this novel method and an end embracing band which may be produced by this method, and will then particularly point out the invention in the annexed claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a strip or block of felt of proper length and width to be used as a blank for making an end embracing band.

ing surplus material from the inner side of the blank to assist in fitting the inner face to the vertical curvature of the side of a last.

Fig. 3 shows a backing sheet of ten h paper, canvas 'or leather to be applied to t e outer face of the felt to resist wear and exclude moisture from said outer face.

Fig. 4: shows the outer portion of the blank after having been treated with shellac which has penetrated only partially through the body of the blank, and after the backing strip has been applied to the shellac-coated surface.

Fig. 5 illustrates the step of subjecting the shellacked blank and backing shown in Fig. 4 to compression to cause the shellac to penetrate toward but not to the inner face to condense the felt, particularly the portion which is Wet with shellac, to obtain intimate adhesion of the backing, and to shape the blank into the required form for a toe or heel band.

embracing band, for example a toe embracing band. This blank. is preferably first shaped on that side which is to be the inside of the band to fit the vertical curvature of 5 the portion ofthe shoe or last which it is to embrace. This shaping is advantageously performed by cutting away the felt stock, as illustrated in Fig. 2, to form a depression or recess as indicated in Figs. Grand 7 This cutting may be done with a rotary abradin tool 2. I then apply to the side of the blan which is opposite to the cut away side a liquid material such as shellac which can be made to penetrate the felt for a substantial portion of the thickness of the blank, as indicated in Fig. 4, and which when it dries will harden the portion of the felt which it penetrates. To the coated surface of the blank I preferably, although not necessarily apply a backing of sheet material3, Fig. 8, of tough paper, fabric or leather adapted to resist the Wear to which the back face ofa band is subjected from contact with its carrier or support. The backing stri 3 may well be coated with glue or shellac efore it is applied to the blank. The blank, with the backing secured to it by the wet shellac, is now bent lengthwise and molded to-the shape which it is desired that the end embracing band shall possess. This may be done in molds 4, 4, 5, as indicated in Fig. 5. Preferably the band will be subjected to very substantial molding pressure and the shellac or other stiffening material 35 thereby forced well into but not fully through the thickness of the band. The molds may advantageously be formed to deflect inwardly the upper edge of the blank, as at 6, Figs. 6 and 7, to adapt the band to the form of band carrier 7 with which I prefer to employ it. The shellac or other hardening material is allowed to dry while the blank is bent into the form of an end embracing band, and the band is then ready for use, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7.

Having explained the nature of this invention and described how it may be emloyed, I claim as new and desire to secure y Letters Patent of the United States 1. That improvement in methods of making shoe end embracing bands having relatively soft inner faces and relatively hard outer portions which consists in cutting away one face of a blank of felt to form the inner face of the band, applying to the reverse face of the vblank enough shellac in liquid form to soak into the felt for a substantial distance, applying a backing of wear-resisting sheet material to the shellaccoated outer face of the blank, bending the blank and backing sheet together into the form of an end embracing band, producing penetration of the felt by the shellac partially through the band by pressure applied 65 through the backing sheet, and allowing the shellac to set or dry, all while the inner face of the band is maintained free from the felthardening eflect of the shellac.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoe end embracing bands having relatively soft inner faces and relatively hard outer portions which consists in applying to that face of a blank of fibrous material which is to form the outside face of the band enough liquid stiffening material to soak into the blank for a substantial distance, applying a backing of wear-resisting sheet material to the coated outer face of the blank, bending the blank and backing sheet together into the form of an end einln'acing band, producing penetratioirof the blank by the stiffening material partially throu h the band by pressure applied through tic backing sheet, and allowing the stiffening material to set or dry, all while the inner face of the band is maintained substantially free from the felt-hardening effect of the shellac.

3. That improvement in methods of making end embracing bands for shoes which consists in cutting away material from that face of a blank of felt which is to form the inner shoe engaging face of the band and thereby contouring said face to receive a portion of the shoe end; applying to the reverse face of the blank a material which can be made to penetrate the felt for a portion of the thickness of the blank and which, when dried, will harden the portion of the felt which it penetrates; applyin a backing of sheet material to said outer ace of the blank; bending the blank into a band formed to embrace a shoe end 5 and applying com pression in a way tending to effect penetration of the felt by the hardening material 5 and adhesion of the backing to the body of the band.

4. That improvement in methods of making end embracing bands for shoes which consists in producing in that face of a blank of felt which is to form the inner face of the band a depression or recess to fit a portion of the shoe, applyin to the outer face of the blank a fluid material which is adapted to penetrate the felt and harden the outer portion of the band without extending the hardening effect to the inner shoe-engaging face of the band, bending the blank longitudinally into the sh..pe of an end embracing band, and drying the hardening material while the band is so bent.

5. That improvement in methods of making end embracing bands for shoes which consists in coating a blank of felt on one slde with stiffening material, attaching a back- 12; ing strip of wear-resisting sheet material to the coated surface by adhesion, shaping the blank and attached backing strip into the form of an end embracing band while the stiffening material is yet soft, and allowing aaaeeo the stifi'ening material to harden While the band is in the end embracing form and While maintaining the inner shoe-engaging; face of the felt band in soft condition so that it can I adapt itself to the surface of the shoe up .of an end embracing band and to distribute the shellac partially but not entirely through the thickness of the felt, and hardening the portion of the felt which is at and adjacent to the outer face of the band relatively to the portion at the inner face of the band 4 without destroying the flexibility of the band by allowing the shellac to dry or set While the band is in approximately the shape to which it has been molded.

7. That improvement in methods of making end embracing bands for shoes which consists in applying toone side face of a strip of felt a material adapted to penetrate the felt and to harden its surface, subjecting the strip of felt so treated to compression to cause the appliedmaterial partially to penetrate the felt without destroying its flexibility, shaping the felt to a contour to embrace the end portion of a last, and drying it While it remains in the shape given to it in the shaping operation.

8. A flexible end embracing band comprising a body portion of homogeneous felt having a soft inner face and having felt hardeningmateria-l extending from the outer face of the band partially through its thickness.

molded U-shaped body portion of felt cut away on its inner face at the bend to the vertical curvature of the side face of a, last end and havin the material of its outer face stifi'ened and hardened, substantially as de- .scribed.

10. An end embracing band comprising a body portion of felt permeated and stiflened' for a substantial distance inwardly from its outer face by shellac and molded into a U- shaped form, and a backin of wear-resisting material secured to sald-outer face by the shellac.

11. As an article of manufacture, a flexible member for engaging a shoe upper to conform it to its last composed of felt having a relatively soft shoe engaging inner face and an outer pressure receivin face permeated and hardened by a sti ening agent.

12. As an article of manufacture, a flexible substantially Ll-shaped felt band for em bracing the end of a shoe having a relatively soft shoe-engaging inner face and an outer pressure receiving face permeated and hart0 9..An end embracing band comprisinga 1 dened by shellac distributed partially, but not MATTHIAS BRUCE. 

